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Hawthorn Bancshares Announces Management Succession Plan
The Board of Directors of Hawthorn Bancshares of Lee's Summit, MO (NASDAQ: HWBK) announced today that James E. Smith (66) will retire as chairman and chief executive officer of Hawthorn Bancshares, Inc. and its subsidiary Hawthorn Bank effective December 31, 2010.
Last January, the Board of Directors put in place its management succession plan when David Turner (54) was elected president and chief operations officer of Hawthorn Bank. Mr. Turner's promotion was the initial phase of the Board's plan to have a replacement for Chairman & CEO Smith upon his retirement at the end of 2010.
Upon announcing his retirement, Chairman & CEO Smith said, "After 43 years in banking, with the last 13 years being here at Exchange National/Hawthorn Bancshares, I believe now is the best time to create the opportunity for new leadership. The downturn in the economy has created some difficult times for banks; but I believe that Hawthorn has successfully and aggressively managed this downturn and can look forward to fulfilling its role of responsibilities and service to the communities, customers and shareholders it serves."
Smith added, "I have been incredibly blessed to work with and for some of the best people in the financial industry and for that I will always be grateful for the opportunity. I came into this organization in 1997 when Exchange National Bancshares, Inc. made its first acquisition by purchasing Union State Bank in Clinton, MO and since that time, we have had 5 additional acquisitions and 3 de novo branch additions increasing our total assets from $450 million in 1997 to over $1.2 billion today. Announcing my retirement now provides transition. David is a 32-year veteran employee of Exchange/Hawthorn and he has been intricately involved with all the acquisitions and consolidation of its subsidiaries. He will provide excellent leadership for this organization in the future."
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It was summer 2012 when the heartbreak was Arsenal fans occurred – Robin van Persie announced that he would leave the North Londoners. To make things worse, he joined Manchester United and since then, Arsenal have been linked to every striker you can name. Wenger signed Olivier Giroud and Arsenal fans were confident of him and claimed that they did not need Persie with Giroud leading the team upfront. However, Giroud could not really live up to that claim.
Arsene Wenger stayed active on the striker front and bought Yaya Sanogo last summer but the youngster gives an impression that he is still soft at the edges to play in the Premier League. Lukas Podolski, on the other hand, has seldom played in that position because it seems like Wenger does not trust him in that position.
However, the newspapers today claim that Olivier Giroud has confirmed that Arsenal will be landing a new striker this summer and he is excited to compete with someone for the starting-eleven position.
Arsenal started off the season on a high note with their fans confident of the title victory in September (?!) but that soon went into the drain since Liverpool and Manchester City battled for the title with goal-scorers like Luis Suarez (31 goals), Daniel Sturridge (21 goals) and Yaya Toure (20 goals).
"I can tell you Arsenal will add a striker to the team," Giroud told the French Website InfoSport+ (translated by ESPN).
"We need another striker. Great clubs have several good strikers, who compete with each other."
Despite that, Arsenal still managed to end their trophy drought by winning the FA Cup – special thanks To Aaron Ramsey for his late winner – and the club does have the potential to manage and challenge the big guns if they sign a striker who is aggressive (in terms of gameplay, of course) upfront.
Written by Rida Mehtab (@ridaamehtaab on Twitter).

subset: commoncrawl


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1971 440 SIX PACK Plymouth 'Cuda In Violet, orginal engine and loaded with options! Shaker Hood, Louvers, Go Wing, Rally Dash, and Billboard Stripes.... More
The 1971 Plymouth 'Cuda may very well sit at the top of the muscle car food chain and this stunning 'Cuda hardtop delivers in... More
1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, Blue/White, 4 speed, #'s matching drivetrain with a full Galen report. Real WHITE billboard car. 1 of 59 built 4 speed... More
Mopar collectors and fanatics, wake up! Extremely rare examples such as this rarely if ever become available for sale, and when they do, they... More
PLYMOUTH: 1971 Cuda, original owner, all papers, numbers matching, 340 4-barrel, a/c, Slap-Stik auto 727 trans, 8-3/4 rear with 3.23 gears, Sure Grip, Rally... More


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Fall 2011 London Fashion Week: Burberry Prorsum
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Betty Amann (1905–1990)
Born in Germany to American parents, dark-haired Betty Amann (born Philippine Amann) grew up in the United States. She began her screen career as Bee Amann in the mid-20s, but returned to Germany after appearing in a Tom Tyler Western for low-budget FBO. Arriving in the wake of Louise Brooks, she was awarded a screen test by Erich Pommer and went ...
See full bio »
Died:(age 85) in Westport, Connecticut, USA |


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WJAC 6 News - Search Results
Bullets fly through family home
By: WJAC Web Staff
BENNER TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A family said they were enjoying their Sunday morning when two bullets flew through their home.
The family said they were in shock when they heard a strange noise. When they went to investigate, they found bullets lying inside their home. One of the bullets was lying on a seat of a chair that is used frequently.
I just heard several shots fired, said neighbor Kelli Roan.
Roan lives on the corner of Seibert and Spring Creek Road when she heard a total of five shots.
I picked it up and realized it was a .22 bullet, Roan said.
A homeowner who did not want to be identified about a half mile away said two of the rounds went through his house and another one in his neighbors garage. He also said his wife heard a noise coming from their home office.
We moved the curtain and saw the hole, he said.
[The] Bullet came in through wall desk, hit papers and it left marks, he said.
Thats when they found one bullet on the floor and the second on his wifes desk chair.
The homeowner does not believe the shooting was intentional just that someone was being careless and hopes this incident will stand as a reminder for people shooting guns.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to call state police.


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Chefs at Darien Social draw on their supplies of New England grown produce, farm raised meats, and local artisan products to craft their menu of American food. Entrees have included New York strip steaks with buttermilk onion rings, bone marrow, and creamed spinach and duck pizzas crowned with gruyere, duck confit, molasses, and squash crunch. To pair with rotating seasonal ingredients, the bartenders dispense a rotating selection of 31 different craft beers on draft and pour international wines.
Few things go together as well as freshly baked pizza and cold beer. At Tom?to Tom?to Pizzeria & Pour House, cooks celebrate that winning combination with a menu of thin-crust pies and bottled brews. Choose from toppings such as fresh basil, roasted garlic, and sweet sausage, or try a signature pizza such as the Ocean Drive, which features thin-shaved parmesan and fresh clams harvested from the ocean by entrepreneurial mermaids.
Pizza and beer are specialties at Tom?to Tom?to Pizzeria & Pour House, but they're not the only specialties. The chefs also prepare entrees, including handmade gnocchi and bone-in Italian-style pork chops, and mixologists shake signature cocktails behind a 25-foot white-marble bar. The Pink Lemonade martini tempts taste buds with Abolut Citron vodka and pomegranate juice, and the Filthy Martini pairs Grey Goose vodka with tangy blue-cheese-stuffed olives.
When Showtime's The Big C needed classic bar ambiance for one of its scenes, it turned to Fiddler's Pub. It's not hard to see why?inside, the day's biggest games unfold on 10 televisions while patrons face off in their own darts and billiards matchups. Friday through Sunday, meanwhile, touring and local bands take the stage for rocking originals and covers, as do karaoke participants crooning ballads about a delicious-looking wing that was just too hot to eat. That's never a problem at Fiddler's, since jumbo chicken wings arrive coated in a choice of eight sauces, including bourbon sesame and orange ginger. More variations on pub grub abound, from 8-ounce Angus burgers topped with chili and gorgonzola to pizzas that can be decked out with over 20 ingredients like cherry peppers and shrimp.
Black Bear Saloon may have all the wood paneling of a Wild West watering hole, but it boasts many modern amenities, including plasma televisions that deliver sports from around the globe thanks to a DirecTV sports package. It's inside this lively space that cooks keep stomachs fueled for the action with a selection of wraps, sandwiches, and Angus-beef burgers.
After a game has aired, the staff dims the lights, cranks up the volume, and turns the stage over to a live DJ every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Behind a fittingly old-school facade, The Old Mill's interior echoes the classic look of a saloon?except with better food and way more choices than any cowboy likely had. Take, for instance, their enormous selection of meats straight from the smoker, including a 12-hour, slow-cooked pulled-pork platter and a half-chicken basted in a zesty bourbon-barbecue sauce. They don't skimp on seafood either, serving thick blackened tuna steaks and broiled Atlantic cod with shrimp scampi.
In warmer months, a breezy patio welcomes diners to sit outside while having a half-pound hand-formed burger and a cold one. But feasts are equally enjoyable indoors, surrounded by darts, live music, and no chance of seeing the terrifying moon man.
Brennan's Tap Room satiates hunger with a selection of classic American dishes, such as burgers, roast beef, and boston fish sandwiches. Hearty entrees include a sliced flat-iron steak topped with crispy tobacco onions, jumbo shrimp scampi in garlic sauce, and baby back ribs coated in a honey-barbecue glaze. A state-of-the-art sound system and 18 high-definition televisions broadcast sports games as fans cheer over a glass of one of 16 beers on tap. Regulars can return for happy-hour deals, including $0.50 wings and $1 off drinks, or bring a friend for police, firefighters, and EMS discounts on Tuesdays and live music on select weekends. During the summer, Brennan's Tap Room also runs a seafood festival, pairing its brews with fresh fish and oysters.


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MUMBAI: A woman abandoned a three-month-old boy at CST on Saturday, leaving him with a passenger on the pretext of making a phone call.
The passenger, Manoj Vishwakarma, later handed the baby over to the Government Railway Police (GRP).
According to the police, Vishwakarma (40) was waiting on platforms 12-13 when a 30-year-old woman dressed in a green salwar-kurta approached him. "The woman requested Vishwakarma to look after the baby till she made a phone call. She assured him that she would be back in 10 minutes," said a police official.
"When she did not return for half an hour, he got worried and started looking for her. He then brought the baby to the CST GRP post," he added.
The police are examining the station's CCTV footage to get clues about the woman's identity. "The child has been sent to the children's home at Dongri," said a senior GRP officer. A case has been registered under Section 317 of the IPC (exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years, by parent or person having care of it). The CST GRP has alerted railway police stations and officials are checking if a missing complaint has been lodged.
On October 3, ten-month-old Sagar Mahat was abducted from CST by a woman, while he was sleeping with his grandmother. He is yet to be traced. On June 10, three-year-old Sangeeta Pawar had been abducted while she was asleep with her parents at the main concourse of CST. The kidnapper, Raju Gaud, was later nabbed in Haridwar by the local police and Sangeeta was rescued.
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Friday, March 29, 2013
Sarah Morningstar and former Seattle City Councilwoman Cheryl Chow pose for a portrait at their Seward Park home Aug. 23, 2012. Chow was an advocate her whole career. From her wheelchair, from her couch, from her hospital bed, as she received aggressive lymphoma treatments that might still save her, Chow told people not to be afraid to talk about being gay.
© The Seattle Times Company


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Great Expectations 5 of 6 |
On a cold winter's day, orphan Pip has a terrifying encounter with an escaped convict. Pip's innocent act of kindness towards this man is to have far reaching consequences for them both. Meanwhile, Miss Havisham, the reclusive owner of the grand and dilapidated Satis House, has requested Pip's presence as a playmate to her beautiful but cold-hearted daughter, Estella. Then Pip's life is suddenly transformed by the generosity of a secret benefactor. Pip abandons his loving home on the marshes for the life of a London gentleman, hoping to win Estella's hand. But the encounters of his childhood are to haunt him and shape the man he becomes.oldtimeradiodvd.com |


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Hi, I have been avidly reading the water softener posts and taking notes. I need to replace an old water softener that finally gave out, the resin tank split after 17 years of use. Here are the particulars on my water and home and what I am considering for a softener. I would appreciate any suggestions, I don't think I have all the answers I just want to present the information I do have as clearly as possible. 2 people living in the home, 2 full bathrooms, dishwasher and clothes washer, no water hogging appliances. On well water, 4.4 GPM @ 50 psi Water Quality all values in mg/L Nitrate <0.5 Nitrite <0.5 Chloride 35 Flouride 0.2 Hardness 233 Iron 0.6 (I believe this is clear water iron) Sulfate 6 Sodium 12 Based on this information and what I have read about selecting a softener I am considering a 24,000 grain capacity softener with 0.75 cu ft of Purolite SST60 Resin and gravel underbed in a Standard tank. To top it off I'm thinking of a Fleck ProFlow SXT control valve with a top basket and noryl bypass, with some extra bypass clips. I would also be sure the brine tank has a salt grid and 2310 Safety Float. I chose the 5000 ProFlow SXT because it sounds like it offers plenty of customization and could be very adaptable. Please let me know if this sounds reasonable, I look forward to your suggestions and value your experience. Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Thu, Feb 6, 14 at 11:29
Please provide TDS and pH of your water. Those will tell us if we need to go to any extraordinary measures. Does your water contain any particulates? While you can certainly use tho ProFloSXT, for your application it really won't offer you benefit over the 5600SXT, but will cost more and reduce the number of vendors you may obtain quotes from. Your call, of course. Have you had any local water treatment pros out to provide recommendations? |
- Posted by OntheWater (My Page) on Thu, Feb 6, 14 at 14:00
HI Alice in Wonderland, I did have a rep from the local Kinetico dealer come out and I felt he provided me with some useful and honest information. I imagine their softeners work quite well but if I can get good performance from a Fleck at 1/3 of the price that works for me. He did a quick water test and said my water had a pH of 7 (he was quite surprised), and 350 in TDS. His numbers for hardness, iron etc matched a water test from 2008 when the house was bought. The values from my first post are from the 2008 lab analysis I'm not aware of any particulates in the water, nothing I can feel and I don't notice any erosion/clogging. Since the ProFloSXT will limit my selection with no additional benefits I'll go with the 5600SXT. I have found a few vendors online, and have been pricing out a system on ohio pure water.com. Do you know of any other vendors that might be worth a look? Thanks for your help, the more answers I get the more questions I have :) |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Thu, Feb 6, 14 at 15:10
You have no concerning issues with your water analysis. 0.75 cubic ft softener will do nicely. The SST-60 resin is not strictly necessary, but will more readily release iron and will allow you to use less water during regens. It is a very nice resin at a premium price. Once you have your softener on site, I will need the DLFC and BLFC sizes to provide proper programming. |
- Posted by OntheWater (My Page) on Thu, Feb 6, 14 at 21:39
Excellent, Thanks for confirming that I am on the right track. I will post the DLFC and BLFC sizes here once the softener arrives. I was reading about the SST-60 resin on the Purolite site and they talk about pre-conditioning the resin. Is that something you would expect to be outlined in the installation instructions that come with the softener? Purolite mentioned distilled water, H2SO4, bed volumes...the discussion quickly went way over my head. I'm looking forward to learning more about the softener once it arrives. Thanks again! |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Fri, Feb 7, 14 at 8:17
Purolite SST60 ships in the sodium form, which is what you need for softening purposes. If you were using it for demineralization instead, you would need to convert it first to hydrogen form using sulfuric acid. Nothing you need to worry about. |
- Posted by OntheWater (My Page) on Sat, Mar 1, 14 at 14:53
Hi Alice, The softener is installed, I have run the water from a faucet until it is clear, initiated a regeneration cycle and observed clear water from the drain line during the various stages of the process, put some salt in the brine tank and I'm ready to program the control valve. The DLFC is 1.5 GPM with 1 injector The BLFC is 0.5 GPM for 1.5 lbs of salt/min The water flow through the new softener is 3.9 GPM with the bathtub faucet wide open. Thanks again for your help, we are certainly looking forward to having soft water again. |
- Posted by OntheWater none (My Page) on Wed, Mar 12, 14 at 19:51
Hi Aliceinwonderland, I have the Fleck 5600 SXT valve programmed according to the directions that came with the unit. I can already see one glaring error and I am sure there are other settings that aren't optimal I would be grateful for your advice on programming the valve properly. I know just enough to detect that some of the values are incorrect but don't have the knowledge to set them for optimum performance. For reference the DLFC is 1.5 GPM with 1 injector and the BLFC is 0.5 gpm for 1.5 lbs of salt/min. Here is the current programming. DF=Gal I would like to operate the new softener as efficiently as possible and I look forward to learning how I can do that. Thanks for your help! |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Thu, Mar 13, 14 at 11:23
I'm sorry I didn't reply earlier. I missed your post on the 1st of March. Since you have a little iron in your water, you will need to regenerate with a higher salt dose, but not as high as you have currently programmed. This will make your softener a bit less salt efficient, but it is necessary to remove the iron. Make the following changes to your programming:
The SST-60 resin you have will resist iron fouling better than a standard resin. However, you will still need to take some steps to ensure long resin life. There are several options.
My preferred methods are A or D because they employ citric acid, which is a much safer chemical than those in Super Iron Out (sodium hydrosulfite and sodium metabisulfite). The choice is yours - pick a method and follow it religiously and your softener will give you many years of reliable service. |
This post was edited by aliceinwonderland_id on Thu, Mar 13, 14 at 11:27
- Posted by OntheWater (My Page) on Thu, Mar 13, 14 at 19:12
Thank you for the programming advice and for taking the time to consider the factors affecting my particular application. I'm glad I didn't stay with the programming instructions provided with the unit, wasting salt and reducing the resin life of a brand new softener by following the seller's instructions! I have made all of the changes you indicated, but I have a question about the back wash time. I think the resin tank might be slightly undersized because the seller doesn't compensate for the volume of the gravel underbed, which results in a smaller expansion volume for the resin. Is there any benefit to staying with the 8 min BW? Could increasing the time/agitation make up for the smaller expansion volume or am I simply wasting two minutes worth of water (3 gal?) Does the control valve pause during steps of the regen cycle? Adding the times for the 4 stages yields 53 minutes but you mentioned that the regen cycle takes about 2 hours so I must be missing something. I would prefer to have it regen closer to the morning instead of the middle of the night because the well pump can be loud. If it wakes me up at least it will almost be time to get up anyway. Does the valve typically draw brine until it is stopped by the air check? Since I am adjusting the BD and BF times I wanted to be sure the water level isn't perpetually high/low due to the old settings. Thank you for describing the different methods for removing iron. I heard something about Iron Remover Salt generating fumes that can be hard on the softener, is there any truth to that or any other significant drawbacks to using that type of salt? If so I will go with option D, I much prefer citric acid to the other chemicals you mentioned. I haven't researched the ResUp feeder yet but could you recommend a dosage level based on the particulars of my softener. One last question, should the salt level be maintained so that no water is visible in the brine tank? Before applying the programming changes you recommended, that would be just over 100 lbs of salt or the round 18x33 brine tank 1/3 full of salt. Thank you so much for the advice you have provided, I just knew the programming could be improved but I didn't have the knowledge and experience to make the necessary changes. I am certainly enjoying learning about the reasons behind the programming, Thank You! |
This post was edited by OntheWater on Thu, Mar 13, 14 at 19:23
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Mon, Mar 17, 14 at 12:01
I'm sorry it's taken a few days to get back to you - I lost track of your post. Backwash time: Extra time won't help if your tank is truly undersized. What is the diameter and height of your tank? Regen time: No, there is not a pause between regen steps. You are correct - your total regen time will be less than an hour. I was speaking in more general terms when I mentioned two hours (which is typical with a larger softener with lesser-quality resin) and should have been speaking specifically to your system. Brine draw: Yes, it draws until stopped by the air check, thus the only control needed for salt dosage is the brine fill time. Iron removal odors: You would have odors from using options B or C, but should not from the salt with citric acid (Morton Rust Remover Salt, Diamond Crystal Iron Fighter Pellets - for other brands, look for citric acid in the product information) Salt level: Unless you live in a very high humidity area, feel free to fill your salt tank and add more salt whenever it's convenient. Initially, take a look in your tank weekly, just to make sure nothing strange is happening (like water level is getting higher and higher or salt is being used really quickly), then you can look once a month and add salt as needed. If you do live in a very high humidity area, maintain a lower salt level - just enough to cover the water. |
- Posted by OntheWater (My Page) on Thu, Mar 20, 14 at 21:42
Hi Aliceinwonderland, The size of the cylindrical section of the tank is 8 X 37, the overall height of the tank is 44 inches. So the cylindrical volume should be 1.08 cu ft, less 0.75 cu ft of resin leaves a max of 0.33 cu ft of volume for expansion. That is a space of 44% of the resin volume for expansion. The gravel underbed covers the bottom distribution basket by 1-1.5 inches, I didn't notice if the gravel occupies any of the cylindrical portion of the tank. If all of my math is right the available expansion volume is between 36 and 44%...so is an expansion volume of about 40% acceptable for the SST resin? I will keep the salt level in the brine tank around 1/2 full for a while to monitor the salt usage/make sure the water level isn't increasing. I looked into the res-up feeder, does 3/4 to 1 oz of res-up per regen sound about right for the SST-60 resin with 14 gpg hardness and 0.6ppm clear water iron. I might stick with the system saver salt and use res-up or just go with the Morton Rust Remover salt. If I use the rust remover salt should I manually add some res-up periodically? I think that's about it, I ordered some hardness test strips to make sure all of this work is paying off. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate your time answering my questions and providing detailed explanations. Thanks! |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Fri, Mar 21, 14 at 11:29
The expansion you need is 50% of the bed height. You have 25.8" of resin so you need 12.9" freeboard for expansion. The cylindrical portion of your tank is 39". This leaves you 13.2" of freeboard. No worries. |
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Well went and camped in the infield for 4 days this weekend at California Speedway.
Left all the wives and girlfriends at home and all 11 of us went out for the annual guys weekend.
It was great!!! Johnson WON #5. We root for him because our RV spot is #48 so that was a great spirit lifter.
It was miserably hot... 126 in the infield 133 in the pits but we stayed sane by pouring all the icewater from the coolers down our shirts every 5 minutes becuse they would dry out that fast.
All the guns stayed locked in the RV because we all were drinking.
But ya overall the weekend was a blast!!!


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Peplum jacket from McCalls 5936. I made this about a year ago, but haven't gotten around to getting pictures til recently. I don't quite remeber any of the modifications I made, I think I may have lengthened the bodice a bit.
This was my first time attempting a lined jacket, so the lining is a bit messy. Also my top stitching is a bit wonky, but I shouldn't point out all the mistakes. :P
I decided to give it a lace trim after falling in love with Anthropologie's lace trim blazer. Although I didn't take into account the curves of the jacket, so the trim is a bit puckered in some areas.
Overall I really like it :) Looks pretty cute with a pair of jeans and boots :)
A little more on my blog :)
Soft cotton suiting material i think, i'm not quite sure
Apr 7, 2012, 12.46 PMby claudinka
That is beautiful! Love the lace details.
Apr 6, 2012, 06.39 AMby joost52
Looks great on you!
Apr 5, 2012, 11.55 PMby nouvellegamine
so cute! i love the lace details.
Apr 5, 2012, 06.33 AMby prettysewinggirl
Very cute indeed!!!
Apr 4, 2012, 09.26 PMby schnui
This jacket is lovely and I do like the lace trimmed edges; a lovely finish. Well done on making this jacket and I am sure you learnt heaps sewing it.
Apr 5, 2012, 01.10 AMby nadia42
Thank you! Yes I certainly did :) It was pretty challenging
Apr 4, 2012, 08.52 PMby Julia Morley
nice work!! I really want to buy that pattern now – out of print but still available :-)
Apr 5, 2012, 01.11 AMby nadia42
Thanks!! Yes you should, it's a great pattern! The peplum is super flattering :)
Apr 4, 2012, 06.18 PMby asperge11
Oh my god I love this jacket! Like sooooo much!!! Great job :)
Apr 5, 2012, 01.12 AMby nadia42
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Jehlum Post News GOVERNMENT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR, SERVICES SELECTION BOARD, Sehkari Bhawan Near Bahu Plaza Jammu. *****
It is notified for the information of all concerned that:
3) The weightage has been calculated on prorata basis with reference to %age of marks obtained in each examination. The formula to calculate points for each qualification is given below: (%age
5) In case of the candidates whose name does not figure in the shortlist and have got points more than or equal to the cut-off point, are advised to submit their claim on application along with all relevant testimonials self attested and duly attested by Gazetted Officer to the Divisional Office, J&K Service Selection Board, Parrey Pora Srinagar by or before 04-05-2011 for consideration on merits and thereafter no claim shall be entertained.
No. SSB/Sel/Secy/ 2269-2300 /2011 Dated: 23-04-2011.
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It has been replaced by another Asian restaurant which I haven't tried yet. I understand that they are serving sushi as well as different Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
It has been replaced by another Asian restaurant which I haven't tried yet. I understand that they are serving sushi as well as different Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
NA. They closed around Christmas 2013. Ted Ferguson, the previous owner, had a loyale clientele. Some thought it was the best restaurant in town.
Always a nice stop but the restaurant business is tough, especially in smaller towns. I had heard hey couldn't find a buyer but nonetheless it s gone. Wishing good luck to them and who knows where they might re-emerge.
As of December 2013 they closed! I'm told they would not sell because they didn't want to risk the quality going down. The good news is there may be a cook book coming!
Passing through Lander on the way to Yellowstone and just looking for anything but fast food but needed a sushi fix something fierce so tried Asian Cuisine although expected it to be awful (snobby me could not imagine anything but elk burgers in Wyoming). Boy was I wrong - the food was great! We started with the nigiri boat (6... More
WOW - didn't see this coming in Lander. I'd heard about this place before but a couple of half-hearted attempts to find it didn't pan out. Tired of my regular haunts I put in the effort to find this place and it was worth every penny. Amazing food - quality was fantastic, with only the freshest ingredients and generous portions.... More
Ted produces the finest Asian creative meals in the county.. A world class place and certainly the dining gem of the region wonderful food and service
This place blew me away. From the outside it looks like a bad strip mall, but inside it is so spectacular! Linen table cloths, candles on the tables, the meal was exquisite. They offer a complementary salad with edamame and a house dressing that is really excellent - I would have licked my plate if it was socially acceptable. I... More
While visiting family in Lander, we decided on Asian food. The restaurant does not look too welcoming from the outside. I was having second thoughts. We we very surprised when we entered to see a very upscale restaurant. We started with soups. We tried Tom Ka and Tom Gar. They were served with rice to be added to the soup.... More
I have stopped in Lander several times and since my contact there thinks Asian Cuisine is special, we often end up going there. It can be good or it can be reheated and even burned with black pieces floating in the sauce. No consistency. You just never know what you're going to get. Not my favorite place there.
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More Articles
Mixed Trade to Close the Week
Weekly Cash Comments
Soybean futures continued to erode this week giving up 14 cents a bushel while corn found modest strength in a 3 cent advance. In the cash market, basis movements were fairly muted this week with US average corn basis gaining 1 cent a bushel while soybeans added 2 cents to the US average...
[Read More]Huge Corn Sales Surprise the Market
In the overnight, soybeans and wheat traded lower slipping 5 ¾ and 5 ¾ cents respectively, while corn stayed mostly unchanged increasing by ¼ cent. The export sales report was very supportive for corn, neutral for wheat and bearish for soybeans which missed analyst expectations by a...
[Read More]Difficult for Corn and Soybeans to Find Traction
Will Ethanol Production Stay Ahead of Pace
In the overnight session the grains traded slightly higher with corn up 3/4 of a cent, soybeans up 3 1/4 cents and wheat up 3 ¾ cents. Soybeans are trading at $9.87 ½ just below $9.91 which is the low side of the sideways range it traded in since late October. The low side of the range...
[Read More]


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Turtleneck sweaters are the number one trend led knitwear item this season. Coming in a range of styles and colors, you're sure to find the rollneck to suit you. For FW14 team your turtleneck sweater with skinny jeans and casual boots.
Shop men's turtlenecks now.
Showing items 1 - 12 of 12
Showing items 1 - 12 of 12


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Long-time resident Brenda Patrick passed away on February 12, 2012. Her wish was to be cremated and remembered by family and friends at an informal service, with no flowers or donations.
Phil Ogden, her husband, led the service, which was held on May 5 in the Civano Activity Center. He showed pictures of Brenda, depicting her life, family and friends.
There were many in attendance, representing family, friends and the numerous groups with which she had been associated, including many of her friends here in Civano. A light Mexican buffet was served, honoring Brenda's fondness for the food acquired during her years in Las Cruces prior to coming to Tucson.
She will be remembered for many things, including her support of community-building efforts, and especially for her love of books, a passion she shared with many including the children at the Civano Community School.
Thank you, Brenda, and travel well.


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Alber Elbaz Serves Up Cocktails and Cocktail Dresses for Spring 2010
>> Spring 2010 is a party for Alber Elbaz: tables were erected in the middle of the runway pre-show, with bow-tied waiters offering up puff pastries and fruity frozen cocktails with umbrellas as salsa music played in the background. Lanvin paper fans were placed on every seat.
With a neon chandelier as backdrop, Elbaz, who just recently returned from Argentina, served up jumpsuits and colorful pouf cocktail dresses — some accessorized with one glove. The collection, Elbaz said, was crafted almost entirely from man-made fabrics, and called it a look of "new minimalism." The elborately bold jewelry will surely be clamored for. As Style.com's Derek Blasberg put it, "If you judge a designer by the level of applause at his finale, Alber Elbaz is the best."
Derek Blasberg
- Dress Barn is collaborating with some of our favorite designers — HuffPost Style
- This year's Sundance films are fashion-packed — Style.com
- Yay! The Apple watch just got a release date — SheFinds
- This celeb-loved bikini brand is #instafamous — Who What Wear
- Fact: we want everything from Elie Saab Couture's Spring '15 show — StyleList
- Dogs are having a moment when it comes to fashion campaigns — InStyle
- H&M's opening a whopping 400 new stores this year — Fashionista
- So this is where they store all those Rent the Runway dresses? — Racked
- Sad news for jet-setters: SkyMall is no longer — Lucky


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Thomas Charbonnel wrote on Mon, 18-Nov-2002:
> Maybe we could start some work to provide ebuild files for up-to-date
> and rocking audio apps on Gentoo. I'm definitely interested by the
> Gentoo specific ML.I am also a Gentoo convert. Making ebuilds for this stuff sounds like a good
idea to me.jlc
LINUX® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the USA and other countries.
Linuxaudio.org logo copyright Thorsten Wilms © 2006.
Hosting provided by the Virginia Tech Department of Music and DISIS.


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Johnny Depp and Tim Burton
Cinematic Fantasists
Their brotherhood began in 1990, when Depp played Burton's beloved brainchild Edward Scissorhands. Half a dozen films later, they've added Ed Wood, Ichabod Crane, Willy Wonka, Sweeney Todd, and the Mad Hatter to their blockbuster brew, with another film—Dark Shadows, produced by their New Establishment cohort Graham King—on the way next year. Few men alive have managed to parlay their private fancies into as loopy and lucrative a global, cross-media brand as these brethren.


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IIT Chicago-Kent Assistant Professor Christopher Schmidt reviews Angus Burgin's "The Great Persuasion: Reinventing Free Markets since the Great Depression" for the scholarly legal blog Jotwell.
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Gear Review
Funny as shit!
Great suit, bound to drive the babes crazy(especially if you already reside in a loony bin. Looks good, fits great, and the service by these guys is phenomonal! Even the music while you are on hold is great( The good ole'Grateful Dead) and the captions under the goods they sell will make you want to wear depends after you read the captions!!!
Bruce S. Evans
View More Details on Volcom Stone Suit - Men's


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10 children in foster care receive laptops and gift certificates from Foster Angels of South Texas
CORPUS CHRISTI - After Alexis Pursifull's mother was sent to prison twice, she and her nine siblings spent years in and out of foster care.
"I learned early that no one was going to hold my hand through life," Pursifull, 18, said. "Now my goal is to finish school and set a better example for my younger siblings."
To help Pursifull achieve her goal, Foster Angels of South Texas gave her and nine other children in foster care laptops, Kindle Fires and gift certificates for their educational needs.
The gifts were presented to the children at the nonprofit's annual luncheon in the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center on Thursday.
This is the fourth year they have given a group of children tools to help with their education.
"By recognizing the achievements of these children, we're able to show the community how we help," said Jennifer Starr, executive director of Foster Angels of South Texas. "We're honored to be a part of their success."
Pursifull, who is a junior at San Benito High School in Brownsville said she plans to use the laptop and Kindle to help her when she applies to Texas A&M University next year. Pursifull said she wants to study law.
"I want to practice family law and hope to become a judge," Pursifull said. "I don't feel like the caseworkers and lawyers know what it's really like to be in foster care, and I want to help kids and make their lives better."


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Year of inscription on the World Heritage List
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara: 1981
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara: (iii)
Previous Committee Decisions:
See page http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/475
Illustrative material:
See page http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/475
Year(s) of inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger
Threats for which the property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger Deterioration and decay leading to the collapse of the historical and archaeological structures for which the property was inscribed on the World Heritage List
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
To be defined during the monitoring mission
Corrective measures identified
a) Updating of the statement of Outstanding Universal Value;
b) Delineation of boundaries for core and buffer zones linked to land-use plans and appropriate protection;
c) Implementation of the property's conservation and management plan;
d) Exetension of the property to include Kilwa Kivinje and Sanje ya Kati.
International Assistance
Requests Approved: 0
Total Amount Approved: 51,083USD
2001 | Preparation of the Management Plan for the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara and the extension to Kilwa Masoko | 24,320 USD |
1999 | Purchase of radio calls and solar panels for World Heritage sites | 9,713 USD |
1996 | Preparatory assistance for tentative list about Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara | 10,550 USD |
1983 | Preparation of a conservation and management plan for Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara | 6,500 USD |
UNESCO Extra-budgetary Funds
Total amount provided to the property: Support from France, Japan and UNESCO (USD 1,438,000) and further by Norway through Funds-in-Trust (USD 201,390) contributes to the implementation of the "Emergency Conservation of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara Endangered World Heritage Sites" project.
Previous monitoring missions
ICOMOS mission 23-27 February 2004
Factors affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Ruins damaged by sea erosion;
b) Collapsing monuments;
c) Lack of clear boundaries of the property and buffer zone;
d) Population pressure; no participation of community;
e) Unclear management systems leading to inactivity;
f) Out of date legal framework.
Current conservation issues
During its 30th session, the World Heritage Committee noted the involvement of the Government of Norway in a project entitled "Emergency Conservation of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara Endangered World Heritage Sites" which is being implemented by the UNESCO Office in Dar es Salaam. The Committee further noted the receipt of a site Management Plan, a comprehensive Kilwa Tourism Master Plan and a revised Nomination file for the property, which it considered, and which provided an excellent overview of key issues. The Committee requested the State Party to:
a) Revise the Statement of Significance;
b) Confirm whether it intends to propose an extension to the original Nomination to include those areas addressed by the Management Plan, in particular Kilwa Kivinje on the mainland and neighbouring Sanje ya Kati island;
c) Address the recommendations of the 2004 ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission.
In its 2007 report, the State Party has provided a revised Statement of Significance which narrows the focus to the original nominated areas of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara. ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre suggest that this should be formally submitted for approval by the World Heritage Committee in the format of a Statement of Outstanding Universal Value. The report makes no mention of the possibility of extending the site to include the settlement of Kilwa Kivinje.
The report sets out progress in addressing conservation issues. Details are given of work carried out in association with the Norwegian Government to construct gabions along the shore beneath the Gereza fortress on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, and of planting mangrove plants in shallow water, which will, when grown and enmeshed, break waves from the Indian Ocean. On Songo Mnara a lime kiln and water reservoir have been constructed for on-going small scale conservation work. The Swedish Government, through SIDA, is also supporting the Department of Antiquities with a capacity building programme, under which a number of staff members have received various training-sessions in conservation and management of cultural heritage, both within and outside the country.
The report mentions an emergency conservation project which started in October 2006 and has so far concentrated on Songo Mnara but no details are given as to what this encompasses.
An outline is given of a project to create a land-use plan and boundaries for core and buffer zones based on surveys and mapping of the islands through the district fund and Marine and Coastal Management Environmental Project over the next year. ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre welcome this initiative, which is urgently needed to allow housing and agricultural activities to take place without damaging the standing monuments and the buried archaeological remains.
It is suggested that buffer zones of 20 and 10 hectares be established for Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara respectively. The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS consider that any proposals for delineating boundaries need to be based on a survey of the islands, with particular reference to the remains identified at the time of inscription. The process of establishing boundaries also needs to be linked to appropriate protection.
The report acknowledges the limitations of the current protective arrangements and the need to establish a revised national legal frame work in Tanzania. The process of reviewing the current law has already started with a draft policy document, which is being revised by an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee. It is anticipated that a new law could be in place by 2010.
Although a section in the report follows the progress of the Management Plan, this is seen as something separate from the other reported activities. There is a need to see the Management Plan as the over-arching document for the property, dealing with all aspects of conservation, day-to-day management, community participation, tourism, etc.
Adequate resources for addressing the major conservation issues related to water ingress of the masonry and unstable structures remain difficult to find. The State Party has approached the Portuguese Government (through the Gulbenkian Foundation), and the World Monuments Fund regarding the possibility of rehabilitating the Portuguese Fort and other monuments such as the Makutani Palace, Husuni Kubwa, and the Malindi Mosque. The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS suggest that, as a first step, funding should be sought for a detailed cost-estimate Conservation Plan for the main monuments which could serve as a basis for a ten-year Action Plan that might attract financial support. The State Party might also submit an International assistance request for this work.
Decision Adopted: 31COM 7A.15
he World Heritage Committee,
a) Follow-up actions on the recommendations of the ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission of 2004;
b) Progress on delineating boundaries and buffer zones, and on updating of the statement of Outstanding Universal Value for formal approval by the World Heritage Committee ;
c)Clarification of its intention to submit a proposal for an extension of the property to include Kilwa Kivinje and Sanje ya Kati and possibly indicate associated revised criteria;
9. Also requests the State Party to invite a World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS joint reactive monitoring mission to assess the progress made in improving the state of conservation of the property, to define the corrective measures and to prepare a draft statement of the desired state of conservation for the property that will enable the Committee define a timeframe for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
10. Also requests the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, to develop a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value including the conditions of integrity and authenticity, for examination by the Committee at its 32nd session in 2008;
11. Decides to retain the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (United Republic of Tanzania) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Decision Adopted: 31COM 8C.2
The World Heritage Committee,
1.Following the examination of the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC-07/31.COM/7A and WHC-07/31.COM/7A.Add, WHC-07/31.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC-07/31.COM/7A.Add.3),
2.Decides to maintain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:


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Oksana Grigorieva Says Mel Gibson Hit Her, Had a Gun
For the first time, Oksana Grigorieva is speaking publicly about the alleged domestic violence she encountered during her relationship with Mel Gibson.
In the interview with Larry King, Oksana opened up about her tumultuous relationship with Gibson that became very public after leaked audiotapes of their fights surfaced earlier this year. During the interview, Grigorieva says that during one major blowout on January 6:
"The beating took place. Mel actually assaulted me while I was holding the baby in my arms ... I ran into my son's bedroom and told him, 'Mel's crazy.'"
Watch the full interview below:
Grigorieva says their constant fighting and a fear for her safety caused her to begin recording their conversations.
"I started taping it around 11 o'clock because I thought, 'I'm actually not going to live through the night. I'm actually not going to live through the night and I wanted my mother to be able to prove that if I'm dead that this is who did it.'"
When asked by King why she stayed with Gibson after his alleged abusive incidents, Oksana says that she stayed "too long," and that at one point Mel "cried on his knees" and begged for her to stay with him.


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I wore braces 18 years ago when I lived in Texas. The orthodontist gave me a retainer afterwards that looks like an invisalign tray. I absolutely loved this retainer and it kept my teeth perfectly straight for years! When I lost it and went to get a new retainer the new orthodontist in Florida gave me a wire one, and I noticed it didn't keep my teeth as perfectly straight even though they insisted it was better. What type of retainer is more effective?
What Kind of Retainer After Braces is Better, Clear Plastic or Wire?
Doctor Answers (5)
I have worked extensively with both types of retainers and I have found that clear retainers retain better. I will always try to use clear retainers but sometimes they are not the best choice for a given patient. Minor tooth movement can also be accomplished with clear retainers to correct minor relapses.
Each type has their pros and cons. For example:
Clear retainers are not noticeable and if worn well hold the teeth very well. On the other hand, they can be worn through with heavy grinding or become distorted when exposed to heat.
The wire of typical Hawley retainers wrap around the front surface of the teeth. They allow the teeth to naturally "settle" into place much better since there is nothing covering the biting surface. They also allow for easy adjustment to help keep teeth in check.
So in summary, if you are cosmetic conscious and your finished result is near perfect, you don't need any adjustment or settling, and don't grind your teeth, the clear ones are a good way to go.
To really answer this question for YOU it is imperative that as you talk with your orthodontist and trust his/her judgment.
The two types of retainers that you mentioned are the most common types of retainers. They both have advantages and disadvantages. Some orthodontists primarily us the wire retainers (Called Hawley retainers, named after Dr Hawley from many years ago) because they have been around the longest. I typically use Hawley retainers on the upper, mostly nights only, because I do a lot of expansion of narrow upper jaws to ideal. The Hawley holds the expansion better than the invisible retainers do. Invisible retainers hold individual tooth alignment better in many cases, especially on the lower front teeth.
You might also like...
Clear retainers vs wire retainers...they both have pros and cons! Depending on your particular situation, your orthodontist will recommend the best option for you. Function, stability, esthetics, comfort are some of the considerations. We tend to use clear retainers more often because they look good, less bulky and work well!
Ultimately, compliance is the key. Clear trays allow usage at all times of the day, wires tend to be worn only at night. Nothing works 100% of the time and you will hear arguements for each style. Wires do allow some modification that clear aligners do not.
There is no right answer.
Web reference: http://www.BestSeattleDentist.com
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Xen vs. KVM virtualization study guide for VARs
The Xen vs. KVM debate brings a few factors to the table that solution providers need to consider during the hypervisor decision process. Test your KVM virtualization knowledge in this study guide.
While Xen is still the preferred choice of many IT shops, the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) platform is catching up and solution providers should know the details of the Xen vs. KVM debate for inquiring customers. There are a number of interoperability benefits from KVM's inclusion in the Linux kernel, but there are also some places where it doesn't measure up to the more mature Xen.
Continue Reading This Article
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In this study guide we will discuss how KVM virtualization can help you with patch management and the required steps for a Xen-to-KVM virtual machine migration. You will also read why factors such as resources or platform support are important to customers that choose Xen over KVM.
Take this 10-question quiz to see how the Xen vs. KVM debate affects solution providers and get access to more KVM virtualization resources.
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Listen to the New Destiny's Child Track 'Nuclear'
Plus, a round-up of today's hottest stories from around the web.
Destiny's Child goes "Nuclear," Taylor Swift channels her heartbreak into recording new music and a celebrity couple announces they're expecting.
Plus, what just happened to Lindsay Lohan that is being called 'the best thing that's happened to her in years'?
Celebuzz has all of these stories and more in today's round-up.
LISTEN: Destiny's Child Debuts New Song with Pharrell
They're back! Just one day after announcing that they'd be coming out with new music, Destiny's Child debuted its new track "Nuclear" produced by Pharrell Williams. Listen to the track over at Huffington Post.
Taylor Swift Recording Again... You Know What That Means
Just days after her split with Harry Styles, Swift tweeted that she's back in the recording studio, working on her next hit break-up song, without a doubt. Gossip Cop has the details!
Kim Kardashian Reportedly Has A Baby Name Picked OutKim Kardashian is reportedly leaning toward naming her and Kanye West's baby Liv. Liv West? Check out Celeb Dirty Laundry for the full story.
The Best Thing to Happen to Lindsay Lohan Just Happened
Lindsay Lohan's career has been going anywhere but up for years, but did she just get some help from the New York Times? Hollywood.com seems to think so.
Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Bell are ExpectingIn case you haven't heard, it's apparently the season of getting pregnant in Hollywood. Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Bell are the latest couple to announce that they're expecting. TooFab has more on the happy couple and their exciting news.


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I was not surprised to see the average mpg function cued up on the display screen when I hopped into the Golf TDI. This car puts up some pretty impressive fuel economy numbers, and it's natural to want to see just how well your doing. (For the record, I got just under 30 mpg on my short drive through town, and then 39 mpg the next day on an Interstate cruise out to the airport.)
For anyone with a long commute who is looking to get really great fuel economy, the Golf TDI has to be a top choice. It starts with the innate goodness of the Golf: superb chassis tuning, comfortable cabin, excellent packaging. Then add the excellent drivability of the 2.0-liter TDI engine, with its robust, easily accessible torque, and seamlessly integrated turbo. The only issue is that, as we discovered with our long-term Jetta TDI, the clutch take-up and throttle calibration mean you have to work to keep from stalling the TDI; the dual-clutch gearbox (despite its extra $1100) is really the way to go, unless your driving is all highway.
Joe Lorio, Senior Editor


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A residence at the best area of Naoussa, so close to the center and so quiet at the same time. A really relaxing place.... we wish we had booked one more week and taste every day this tasteful breakfast and swim in the nicest pool we ever jumped in! We are coming back next year for sure and that will... More
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com, Priceline and Odigeo so you can book your Anemomylos (Windmill) Category A' Apartments reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.
- Also Known As:
- Anemomylos (Windmill) Category A' Apartments Paros/Naoussa


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Heijkamp Family Photos
Find Heijkamp records
Find birth, death, marriage, military, and other Heijkamp records at Ancestry.com.
Search for Heijkamp recordsLatest Photos
We couldn't find any Heijkamp family photos, if you have any to share with the community, click here. Return to this page to find Heijkamp pictures as they are uploaded by the community. Here are the latest photos upload to AncientFaces:


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Gill Historic Wall and Ceiling LightPin It Houzz |
. |
Related Info Tools |
Design by Roberto Pamio, 1962.
From the Historic Collection - Gill is Leucos's first design. This elegant glass has distinctive hand-crafted details and characteristics. Available in satin white or clear crystal with a circular white detail across the front. The white portion within the crystal ring is intentionally set off center. The very nature of handcrafted glass produces variations of color, texture and finish. These characteristics are typical of high quality, hand blown and hand finished glass. They are not considered as defects in workmanship, rather symbolic that your piece is a one of kind handmade glass.
Gill is a wall or ceiling mounted fixture providing ambient illumination. The glass diffuser is held in place with three screws that secure it to the painted titanium backing. The backing mounts to a standard 4" octagonal junction box.
Material(s): Metal, Glass
Dimensions: 15.75" D X 8.75" Ext
Lamp Type: INCANDESCENT
Bulbs: 1 X 100W A19 Medium Base (E26) Incandescent bulb (not included)
Listing: UL, CUL
Manufacturer Specifications: Click to download specifications.
Instructions: Click to download instructions.
Roberto Pamio, having graduated in architecture at the University of Venice, works at an international level within the areas of architectural planning and design. His experiences in Mexico in the 1980s and successively in New York, Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam and Japan have stimulated his creative sensitivity. In all of his architecture, natural elements such as light, air and water are emphasized, turning space into something fluid and changeable.
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Sarasota police arrest two men for running a marijuana operation
Date: May 6, 2013
by: Roger Drouin | City Editor
Sarasota Police Department narcotics unit detectives arrested two men charged with running a large-scale marijuana operation from their Park East home.
At a press conference Monday, Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino announced the arrest of Anthony L. Snead, 66, and Andy M. Charlton, 38.
Snead is charged with Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Sell and Charlton is charged with Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Sell and Transportation of Drug Paraphernalia.
On April 23, detectives recovered five pounds of marijuana from Snead's home at 635 Audubon Place, Sarasota. DiPino said detectives discovered during a six-month operation code-named "Operation Hammerhead" that Snead was buying marijuana at $5,000 per pound and selling it at a higher rate for profit.
Five pounds of high-grade cannabis were found in his home, and police estimate that Snead was buying $780,000 to $1,000,000 worth of marijuana a year to sell at a higher profit.
Linda Holland, a neighborhood advocate in the neighborhood of Gillespie Park, said residents in Park East, directly across U.S. 301 from Gillespie Park, have been frustrated with consistent drug activity in the area.
"It sends a very clear message to the drug dealers," Holland, who attended the press conference Monday, said of the arrest.
"Park East has had problems for many years," Holland said.
According to police, "Operation Hammerhead" began in September 2012 after an anonymous complaint that Snead was selling drugs from area nightclubs.
Detectives began gathering intelligence and conducting surveillance, and quickly discovered the case may be larger than originally suspected.
Using a variety of investigative methods, detectives discovered Snead was involved in a large-scale marijuana sales operation based from the home he rented at 635 Audubon Place.
This area of the city has been the source of numerous complains of drug sales and prostitution in the recent past, according to a press release.
Detective Greg Grodoski of the Sarasota Police Department Narcotics Unit investigated the case for six months, gathering intelligence, conducting surveillance and numerous other investigative techniques leading to a wiretap of Snead's phone, according to a press release. Within weeks, detectives were able to determine specific patterns of marijuana delivery to Snead's residence. On April 23 detectives were able to intercept the delivery of five pounds of marijuana to the residence of Snead and executed a search warrant on his residence. Detectives recovered the five-pound delivery, packaged in vacuum sealed bags from previous deliveries. These bags were cut open and had the names of various marijuana strands written on them.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - View original article
Xenoblade Chronicles | |
European cover art | |
Developer(s) | Monolith Soft[1] Nintendo SPD |
Publisher(s) | Nintendo[1] |
Director(s) | Tetsuya Takahashi |
Producer(s) | Shingo Kawabata Takao Nakano Hitoshi Yamagami |
Designer(s) | Tetsuya Takahashi Koh Kojima |
Writer(s) | Tetsuya Takahashi Yuichiro Takeda Yurie Hattori |
Composer(s) | Yoko Shimomura ACE+ Manami Kiyota Yasunori Mitsuda[2] |
Series | Xeno |
Platform(s) | Wii |
Release date(s) | |
Genre(s) | Action role-playing, open world |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Distribution | Wii Optical Disc |
Xenoblade Chronicles | |
European cover art | |
Developer(s) | Monolith Soft[1] Nintendo SPD |
Publisher(s) | Nintendo[1] |
Director(s) | Tetsuya Takahashi |
Producer(s) | Shingo Kawabata Takao Nakano Hitoshi Yamagami |
Designer(s) | Tetsuya Takahashi Koh Kojima |
Writer(s) | Tetsuya Takahashi Yuichiro Takeda Yurie Hattori |
Composer(s) | Yoko Shimomura ACE+ Manami Kiyota Yasunori Mitsuda[2] |
Series | Xeno |
Platform(s) | Wii |
Release date(s) | |
Genre(s) | Action role-playing, open world |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Distribution | Wii Optical Disc |
Xenoblade Chronicles, known in Japan as Xenoblade (ゼノブレイド Zenobureido?), is a science fiction role-playing video game developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo for the Wii console. The game was announced during E3 2009 under its original title Monado: Beginning of the World. It was later renamed Xenoblade in January 2010 to honor Tetsuya Takahashi, the director of the game that had also directed all prior games in the Xeno series.
The game was first released on June 10, 2010 in Japan, and later localized and released in August 19, 2011 in Europe. Despite this, significant time passed without any confirmation on a North American release, which eventually led to part of the Operation Rainfall fan movement to generate interest in release in the region. Despite Nintendo's official word that they were not influenced by the movement, the game was released in North America on April 6, 2012. The game was very well received by critics, with many citing it as a great example of innovation and improvement in a rather stagnant genre of Japanese role-playing video games.
A spiritual successor, Xenoblade Chronicles X, is currently in development for the Wii U.
Xenoblade Chronicles plays as a action role-playing game, that employs an open world design, allowing much of the game world to be explored.[6] The player controls the character with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or the Classic Controller.[7]
The game has several time saving support features, many of which are not found in other games of its genre.[8] For instance, while the game has a day-and-night time cycle, rather than just waiting for time to elapse, players can "set the clock" to the time they want to go to. Additionally, while the game is about exploration, many areas, called "Locations" and "Landmarks", are added to aid in traversing the land by serving as warp points (though this only applies to the latter). The game also supports a "save anywhere" feature".[8]
Another of the game's systems is the "Bonds" system, in which characters can partake in many optional sidequests with non-player characters. Completing such quests can alter perception of the character in the towns, and open up additional story sequences.[9] The game also has an "Affinity" system, where each member has an Affinity stat that indicates how they feel about another party member, ranging from indifference to high friendship/love. These affinities can be raised by having characters participate in battle together, giving gifts, or using the "Heart-to-Heart" system. These "Heart-to-Hearts" are intimate moments between two characters that can show more of a character's personality, history, or thoughts, and can be initiated by having a certain level of Affinity between them.[10] The Affinity system ties into other aspects of gameplay, from gem crafting to linking Skills to use in the field and in battle.[citation needed]
The game also has extensive customization, which includes changing the characters' outfits and weapons. These changes are directly reflected in the game, appearing in the field and even during scripted event scenes.[9]
Xenoblade Chronicles has a real-time action-based battle system, where the player manually moves the current lead character in real-time, and party members will "auto-attack" when enemies enter their attack radius,[11] most comparable to the system found in Final Fantasy XII.[12] However, special attacks are available as well, with those belonging to the lead character activated manually by the player; these include "Battle Arts"/"Arts" (which can be used once but become unavailable until their "cool down" periods expire) and characters' unique "Talent Arts", which only become available after enough auto-attacks are executed.[11] Both party members and enemies have a finite amount of health points, and attacks deplete this value. Combat is won when all enemies lose their HP, but the game is lost if all characters lose their HP. Health may be restored by the player by using healing Arts in battle, or the player may let characters' HP regenerate automatically outside of battle. Winning battles earns the player experience points, which allows the characters to grow stronger by leveling up and learning new Arts. Arts for each character must be set by the player on their respective set up, called a "Battle Palette", outside of battles.[13]
Several other systems are present to affect the flow of battle. The "Party Gauge" slowly fills as party members successfully land hits on the enemy players, and filling the gauge allows the player to chain multiple attacks together, for extra damage.[13] All party members have an "aggro ring" around them as well; the more actions a character performs, the larger it grows. Larger aggro rings lead enemies to focus their efforts on that respective character, leading to a strategic aspect of luring and diverting attention of enemies.[11] The game's "Visions" system, where Shulk can see glimpses of enemies' future attacks, also factors into battles. With this information, the player must either try to react by trying to get out of harms way or prevent it from happening.[14]
The setting of Xenoblade originated in a world that was nothing but endless ocean, until two great titans, the Bionis and the Mechonis, came into existence. The two giants fought a timeless battle, until with one final strike, only their lifeless bodies remained, forever locked in combat.[15] Eons later, new forms of life arose on the corpses of the two titans; organic lifeforms such as the humanoid Homs on Bionis, and mechanical life forms, such as the machina, on Mechonis.[16] Like the respective titans, the Homs of Bionis, and the mechon of Mechonis fight endlessly for their existence.[15]
The protagonist of the game is an 18-year-old young man named Shulk, who lives in Colony 9 of the Bionis. When the colony is attacked by the Mechon, he obtains the Monado, the legendary energy blade capable of severely damaging the Mechon, and leaves to stop the Mechon threat.[17] Those who fight with him are Reyn, a young and headstrong Defense Force soldier; Fiora, Shulk and Reyn's childhood friend; Dunban, the previous wielder of the Monado and Fiora's older brother; Sharla, a medic and sniper from Colony 6; Melia, mage and crown princess of the High Entia; and Riki, a member of the Nopon race of small creatures, who is chosen as the hero of his village.
The game's story opens to scenes one year prior to the present time in the game, detailing Dunban's use of the legendary sword "Monado", to lead an effort against the Mechon.[18] It is successful, and temporarily restores peace, but it cripples Dunban's arm.[19] One year after the battle, Shulk and Reyn return to their home in Colony 9 after surviving an attack from monsters.[20] After meeting up with Fiora and helping with an errand, the Mechon launch a large surprise attack against Colony 9. Shulk and his friends return to find Dunban, with the Monado.[21] However, the Monado's power overwhelms Dunban, and he drops the weapon in agony. Shulk picks up the Monado, showing greater control over the weapon, and exhibits the ability to see enemies' future attacks.[22]
During the assault, they encounter a large "faced" Mechon leading the attack, called "Metal Face." Unlike the rest of the Mechon, the Monado does almost nothing to Metal Face as it incapacitates them.[23] Fiora arrives in a tank to save them; however, Metal Face dismantles the tank and stabs Fiora, killing her.[24] The Mechon then withdraw from the devastated colony. Resolute, Shulk and Reyn leave Colony 9 in pursuit of Metal Face, to reach Galahad Fortress, the Mechon stronghold located at Sword Valley.[24][25] Shulk and Reyn travel through the Bionis' leg, where they meet and recruit Sharla.[26] Shulk has a vision of him fighting Metal Face on a black island, which is deduced to be Prison Island, making its their next destination.[24] The group gains imperial sanction from Alcamoth, the High Entian capital, to enter Prison Island. On the way up, Melia and Riki join Shulk's group.[27][28] Shulk also meets Alvis, a male Homs who can use the Monado.[24]
In Alcamoth, Shulk's group manages to foil assassination attempts against them, while learning of Melia's identity as a princess of the imperial family.[29][30] Later, while meeting with Melia, Shulk has a vision of Metal Face killing the Emperor; before he can tell the others, Metal Face and the silver Face Nemesis lead a Mechon attack on Alcamoth. Realizing that the city's defenses will soon be overwhelmed, Melia's father, Emperor Sorean Antiqua, travels to Prison Island to try and counter the attack. Shulk, Melia, and the others travel there as well, where they meet Zanza, a Giant who claims to be the creator of the Monado, and the prisoner of the island. Zanza offers to "release the shackles" that prevent Shulk from harming Faced Mechon.[31][full citation needed] Shulk accepts, but Metal Face kills Zanza shortly afterward. Shulk fulfills the vision by quickly defeating Metal Face; however, Face Nemesis takes Shulk's killing blow to Metal, revealing a Homs with a mechanical body inside. To everyone's shock, the Homs reveals herself as Fiora; however, she doesn't recognize Shulk, and leaves with the retreating Mechon.[32]
Shulk decides to follow the Mechon to Galahad Fortress, passing through the snowy Valak Mountain. On the way there, Fiora (inside Face Nemesis) comes to see Shulk, although she behaves and speaks benevolently, calling him "Heir to the Monado".[33] Metal Face suddenly appears and attacks, its operator revealed to be Mumkhar. During the resulting fight, Egil, the leader of Mechonis, intervenes to take Face Nemesis back with him.[34] The group follows Egil and his forces to Sword Valley, where they fight Mumkhar again, finally killing him.[35] At the heart of Galahad Fortress, the party encounter and fight Egil and Fiora, the latter being forced to fight them. Before Egil can eliminate the group, the one controlling Fiora, apparently hearing Fiora's plea to save Shulk, stops him, causing an explosion. Shulk jumps after Fiora's falling Mechon as the others are separated. Egil escapes, the power of Face Nemesis troubling him.[36]
Waking up from a dream, Shulk finds himself on the Mechonis' Fallen Arm. He finds Fiora and kisses her reviving her as her old self. Shulk learns that until the fall from the fortress, "someone else" was controlling Fiora's body, while she herself could only watch.[37][38] The two decide to find the others, finding Sharla and Reyn first. They reunite with Melia and the others in a village, where they meet the people of Mechonis, the Machina.[39] Linada, a doctor, helps Fiora adjust to her new body; while Shulk and the others meet with Miqol, the village leader and father of Egil. Miqol requests them to kill Egil, saying that Vanea, Egil's sister, will try to assist them.[40][41][full citation needed]
The group leave the village to reach the Mechonis capitol, Agniratha. During their journey, they are ambushed by Jade Face, who is revealed to be Gadolt, Sharla's supposedly dead fiance. Narrowly escaping a fatal attack, the group meets Vanea shortly afterward. As Vanea wishes for peace between the denizens of the Bionis and Mechonis, she takes them to Agniratha. Once there, Fiora is temporarily taken over by Meyneth, the goddess of the Mechonis and the "other person" from before. Shulk and the others learn that the Bionis and Mechonis were once at peace with one another, before the former inexplicably attacked the latter, killing many of the Machina. Understanding Egil's desire for revenge, the group heads for the Meyneth Shrine, where Egil is located.[24][full citation needed]
After a brutal fight, Egil reactivates the Mechonis, beginning the attack on the Bionis. After entering to the Mechonis Core, Shulk reconciles with Egil, beginning a truce between them. However, Shulk is shot in the back by Dickson, revealing himself to be a "Disciple of Zanza". At this time, Zanza, the god of the Bionis, is revived from Shulk's body and takes the Monado to lay waste to Mechonis. In the ensuing fight, Fiora loses Meyneth's Monado, which Zanza takes for himself, expelling Meyneth in the process. Egil stays within the Mechonis to give the party enough time to escape, although Zanza destroys him, much to Vanea's dismay.[24][full citation needed]
With life on the Bionis in chaos, Fiora and the others take Shulk's body with them to escape. As they pass over Sword Valley, Lorithia, a member of the High Entian court, turns out to be another Disciple, turning many High Entia into Telethia to eliminate life on Bionis. The party fights back, retreating to Colony 6 with Telethia in tow. Meanwhile, Shulk and Alvis speak to each other through the former's dream, with Alvis subtly encouraging Shulk to continue. Shulk reawakens just in time, using a Monado-esque Machina weapon to fight off Zanza's forces. At the same time, Alvis reveals himself as the final Disciple, following Dickson to Prison Island. Shulk lets him go, saying that his allegiance does not matter.[24][full citation needed]
After defending Colony 6, the group travels through the Bionis' interior to defeat Lorithia, then to Prison Island to defeat Dickson. The party then finds themselves in what appears to be a simulation of the Solar System. At the end of the simulation, they catch a brief view of the planet Earth before facing Zanza, now a god-like monster wielding his and Meyneth's Monados. He voices his intent to create a new world, as the current world is no longer needed, and offers to make Shulk immortal; resolute, Shulk rejects the offer. Partway into the ensuing battle, Shulk, encouraged by Alvis, calls the True Monado, which he uses to destroy Zanza.[full citation needed]
After the battle, Alvis appears before Shulk, and shows him a vision of the past, in which Zanza was once a human scientist named Klaus. He and Meyneth performed an experiment that attempted to create a new universe, but accidentally destroyed their universe and caused the two of them to become gods. They then created the universe of the Bionis and Mechonis. Needing a physical host, but unwilling to risk their departure for other worlds, Zanza initiated a cycle of destruction and rebirth to keep life on Bionis, creating beings from the ether and destroying them with the Telethia when they threatened to leave. Alvis reveals that he was originally the administrative computer of the space station where the experiment was performed. Alvis then informs Shulk that their world is expiring, and that Shulk, as its new god, must decide the world's fate. Shulk chooses to recreate the universe as a world without gods, causing the Bionis to collapse and fall.[24][42] In the epilogue, Homs, High Entia, Nopon, and Machina are all shown living peacefully together in the new world, the Bionis has fallen, and Fiora has been restored to a Homs.
Development of the game predated the release of the Wii console itself, leading to a four year development period for the game's Japanese release alone.[43] However, despite development starting in 2005, the game was not revealed to the public until June 2009 at E3 2009.[44] At the time, the game was announced under the title of Monado: Beginning Of The World.[44] The game was later retitled Xenoblade in January 2010 to honor Tetsuya Takahashi, as Nintendo president Satoru Iwata described, was the one "who poured his soul into making this and...the Xeno series".[45] Takahashi involved himself in every aspect of the game, from creating the original concept and script to the final debugging stages.[2]
During the game's long development period, the game went through many changes. At one point, the development team tried to implement a turn-based battle system, but they felt it was too difficult to implement the "changing the future" feature in such a system.[43] Great care had also gone into making the protagonist, Shulk, likeable by audiences. At one point, to do this, the team proposed having him act as a silent protagonist.[46] However, the team instead took the opposite approach, and focused on Shulk's interactions between the other characters, especially through aspects such as the "heart to hearts" and how team members cheer each other on during battles.[46]
Takahashi's goal for the game was to convey a feeling of freedom to the player, with less focus on lengthy cutscenes than prior games in the Xeno series.[47] He has described the game world as "overwhelming, like an MMORPG" and compared its size to that of Japan,[48] stating that from "one end to the other," the game's world is "about the size of the Japanese archipelago."[6]
The game's music was composed by a total of six musicians.[2] Included in the number was the three member team of "Ace+" (Chico Yamanaka, Tomori Kudo and Kenji Hiramatsu, respectively), of which was referred by Nobuo Uematsu's Dog Ear Records.[2] Together, the team created over 90 tracks for the game.[2] Takahashi was very involved with the music, constantly rejecting pieces due to what he felt was not fitting for the game.[49] Takahashi and the rest of the music team's goal was to use a large variety of different instruments to create a sound that was not typical of a Japanese RPG.[50] Yasunori Mitsuda was brought in to do the music for the game's epilogue due to his involvement with the music of prior Xeno games Xenogears and Xenosaga Episode 1.[2] The track caused much stress to Mitsuda, who was tasked to create the game's most important song, which needed to incorporate both the diversity of the entire rest of the soundtrack, and mesh with Takahashi's grand vision for the ending of the game.[50] Takahashi even wrote the lyrics for the track personally.[51]
Xenoblade: Special Soundtrack, a sampling of the twelve tracks chosen by Takahashi himself that best encapsulate the game's music, was released in Japan[51]
Despite the game's August 2011 release date in Europe, during this same time period, Xenoblade Chronicles did not have a confirmation of a North American release. Additionally, the game was absent altogether from E3 2011, a major medium for promoting upcoming games in North America.[52] In an interview on the French television station Nolife, Mathieu Minel, the marketing manager of Nintendo France, stated that Nintendo of Europe had desired to show the game at it, but Nintendo of America would not allow it, sparking speculation that it would not be released in North America.[52] In response, a fan campaign called "Operation Rainfall" formed to persuade Nintendo of America to localize Xenoblade Chronicles, along with fellow Wii RPGs The Last Story and Pandora's Tower.[53][54] The group organized several efforts to raise awareness of the game's demand, such as encouraging people to pre-order the old Monado placeholder on Amazon.com.[55] On June 25, 2011, the pre-orders from the campaign made the game the No. 1 best-selling video game on Amazon.com for that day.[55]
The game was eventually confirmed for North America release, but it wouldn't be until the following December.[56] The game was released on April 6, 2012.[57] While Nintendo acknowledged the efforts,[58] and Xenoblade staff members even voiced support for it,[59] in December 2013, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime stated that ultimately, "Operation Rainfall" had not affected their plans for releasing the game in North America.[60]
Concerning the game's localization, Takahashi stated that while some minor changes were made in the English versions of the game, like some bug fixes, minor adjustments to gameplay balance, and slight rewriting of some written content, none of the changes led to any significant differences.[61]
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Xenoblade Chronicles received acclaim from reviewers, with average aggregate scores of 91.74% at GameRankings, based on 42 reviews,[63] and 92 out of 100 at Metacritic, based on 59 reviews.[62] The game had the fourth highest ranking on Metacritic for all video games released in 2012,[82] and many reviewers referred to the game as the best Japanese role-playing game of the seventh generation of video games.[65][75][78][68]
Many reviewers lauded the game for revitalizing and reinventing the otherwise stagnant and traditional Japanese role-playing genre.[64][72] GameSpot awarded the game an Editors' Choice award, saying that it "is a remarkable game" and "drags the JRPG into the 21st century, modernising many of the genre's traits and nailing a pace that outclasses the majority of its peers."[71] Eurogamer similarly stated that "It's a game that invites us to reassess an entire genre, pointing to a bold future while nodding its respect towards the past. It's a towering triumph",[12] Game Informer praised the game's sense of adventure, with the reviewer stating that "I fell in love with JRPGs in the 16-bit era because they constantly showed me things I'd never seen before. Somewhere in the last 15 years, most RPG developers in Japan have lost sight of that, instead rehashing the same fantasies and floating by on nostalgia. Xenoblade Chronicles is the first JRPG I've played this generation that has me excited for the future rather than simply reminding me of happy memories from my past. Monolith Soft deserves praise for creating it."[69] IGN especially praised the characters, stating "The likeable voice acting makes it easier to form lasting relationships with the characters, who are better-written and more believable than most. Their relationships with each other really make sense; rather than a band of random people thrown together by circumstance, your party really feels like a band of brothers (and sisters)."[83]
The game has received several awards. In December 2011, GameSpot gave Xenoblade Chronicles the award for "Best Wii Game" of the year,[84] while also being nominated for the "Best RPG" and "Game of the Year" awards.[85] The Daily Telegraph also nominated it for the "Game of the Year" award.[86] Nintendo Life chose it as second place for the "Wii Game of the Year" award and gave it an honourable mention for the overall "Game of the Year" award.[87] Xenoblade also won the "Best RPG" award from MMGN's Community Game of the Year Polls.[88] Nintendojo chose it as the runner-up for its "Game of the Year" award.[89] IGN gave Xenoblade Chronicles its award for " Best Wii/WiiU Game of 2012" and well as IGN's People's Choice Award for the same category.[90] The game won best sound in a RPG as well as the readers choice of "best RPG of 2012" by the gaming site RPG Fan, in their 2012 RPG awards.[79][91] At the 2012 RPGamer awards Xenoblade Chronicles won many awards including: "Best Music","Best Console RPG", "Best Story" and "Best overall RPG of the year".[80][92][93][94] [95] The editors of Slant Magazine gave the game the first place in their "Top 25 Best Video Games of 2012",[81] stating: "...in a year of several marked technological adjustments, and the effective birth of the next generation with the Wii U, our favorite game is a callback to the era of the classic JRPG."[96] concluding with "Monolith Soft's ambitious epic is boundlessly beautiful, challenging, emotionally gripping, and most distinguishably of all, effortlessly transporting."[81]
The game debuted at No. 1 in its week of release in Japan, selling 83,000 copies.[97] At the end of 2010, the game had sold 161,161 copies in Japan, making it the eighth best-selling Wii game of the year.[98] It debuted at seventh on the UK game charts,[99] and at second place on the Wii charts, despite stock shortages.[100] According to Gamasutra, it was the fourth best-selling game in the UK during its first week.[101] Investment banking firm Piper Jaffray estimated it to be one of the best-selling games in the United States during the month of April 2012, along with Mass Effect 3 and Prototype 2.[102] The NPD Group excluded the game from their monthly report as it was a retailer exclusive.[103]
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